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9:25 AM Mon 24 Nov 2008 GMT
 | | 'Desafio Cabo de Hornos surfs into Table Bay - Portimao Global Ocean Race'
Brian Hancock |
It has been a thrilling week for most of the sailors racing in the Portim?o Global Ocean Race with four superb arrivals in Cape Town. It has, however, been less than thrilling for the South African team on board Kazimir Partners as they deal with a relentless stream of bad luck in the weather department.
And to make matters worse, food, fuel and water are at a critical low on board bringing with it the attendant worry and concern by not only Lenjohn and Peter Van Der Wel, but by family and friends who are anxiously awaiting their arrival in Cape Town. More than 500 miles lie between them and the sandy shores of South Africa and an unstable weather pattern is not going to make it any easier for them. The Van Der Wel brothers are nothing if not resourceful and they will rally on until they get to join their fellow competitors at the Royal Cape Yacht Club.
First to arrive a week ago were the Germans aboard Beluga Racer as they rolled into the Tavern of the Seas on a postcard perfect day just in time for Sunday lunch. Three hours later the Chileans aboard Desafio Cabo de Horns sailed into Table Bay and tied up alongside Beluga Racer. It had been a nail biting few days for both teams as the German fought to hold onto their lead with the Chileans determined to cause and late race upset. 'Just 12 hours ago we were not sure that we would be able to hold them off,' Boris, skipper of Beluga Racer said shortly after crossing the finish line. 'They were coming up so fast and there was very little we could do until we both had the same wind conditions. In the end we were able to prevail.'
Felipe Cubillos, skipper on Desafio Cabo de Hornos was disappointed that they had not won the leg, but was also magnanimous in his comments. 'The right boat won this leg,' he said. 'Boris and Felix sailed a perfect race and while it would have been nice to beat them into Cape Town, it would have felt all wrong.' Since the race is scored on points it did not matter that Desafio Cabo de Hornos closed the gap to three hours; had it been twelve hours the result would have been the same.
While the Germans and Chileans were enjoying life on land and piles of fresh food, Team Mowgli were enjoying their last night at sea. They too had enjoyed a Battle Royal with the Chileans all the way down the South Atlantic only to lose touch after blowing their masthead kite with no time to effect a repair. Early Monday morning they sighted the square outline of Table Mountain and sailed in with a fair breeze; almost to the finish line. The high mountain casts a long wind shadow and the British team of Salvesen and Thomson enjoyed a frustrating hour becalmed within spitting distance of the finish line. Finally a strong south-easterly wind filled in and the crossed the line rail down, grinning madly.
The first solo sailor, Michel Kleinjans aboard his Open 40, Roaring Forty, hobbled into Cape Town with his spaghetti rigging. A week earlier one of the major shrouds holding his mast up had broken and Michel had been forced to sail with reduced sail. 'On port tack I had to drop the mainsail completely and sail with just a staysail,' he said. 'I did not want to put any strain on the mast. I knew that I just had to make it to Cape Town that was all.' The spaghetti rigging was a series of lines rigged to support the mast. Hours after arriving Michel had untangled the lines and made plans to have the mast removed for some serious rework before facing the rough waters of the deep Southern Ocean.
At the 06:20 UTC poll Sunday morning Nico Budel on Hayai was 153 nautical miles from Cape Town sailing at seven knots. It looks like his tradition of night time arrivals will hold as his latest ETA is around 3 in the morning.
www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com
by Brian Hancock
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Cape Leeuwin, WA
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